THE Murray Smith Accountants Cheshire County Cricket League's 31st season opens on Saturday, with Bowdon seeking a record fourth successive ECB Premier League title, Burnage and Sale providing welcome new blood in Division Two and the Fred Graham Trophy becoming a Twenty/20 mid-week knock-out boosted by £2,000 sponsorship from Middleton brewers John Willy Lees.
Not even Cheadle Hulme in their pomp in the 70s and 80s managed to win the top division four seasons running, but this is what Bowdon aim to do with Steve Bramhall remaining at the helm. The ECB Premier League champions, who also won the Graham Trophy and Cheshire Cup last season, open their campaign at Toft, newly-promoted from Division One. Toft have come up alongside village club Christleton who were playing in the Cheshire League four short seasons ago and have risen remarkably quickly through the Cheshire pyramid. They travel to 2004 runners-up Oulton Park, desperately keen to win their first title after conceding a 36 points lead at midway last summer.
There's a Wirral derby to relish between Oxton and Neston who both have much-changed teams while remaining under the respective captaincies of Neil Cross and Ben Thomas. Making his debut for Neston will be Lancashire all-rounder Andrew Crook, while Oxton introduce England Deaf international fast bowler Paul Allen from Winnington Park.
Hyde's square is not yet ready for 1st XI cricket after slow spring growth and their home fixture against Alderley Edge, newly-captained by Mark Currie, has been switched.
Chester Boughton Hall host Nantwich, captained by Chris Hampshire and Widnes, with former Pakistan Test all-rounder Shahid Mahboob making his debut, are at home to Poynton.
Promoted Cheadle, who won their first championship last season since becoming founder members in 1975, are at home to neighbours Cheadle Hulme in Division One, while the other promotees Heaton Mersey host Alsager. Relegated duo Macclesfield and Didsbury are at home to Warrington and Urmston respectively. Didsbury are led by former Cheshire all-rounder Stuart Stoneman, back in the region after a spell working in Devon.
In Division Two, Burnage play their first game at relegated Brooklands with Sale - back in the league after an absence of only 12 months - host relegated Grappenhall, who have former Lancashire all-rounder Richard Green at the helm.
Panel umpires' expenses have been raised to £27 (Premier League) and £24 (Divisions One/Two)
A total of 26 Overseas players had been registered up to last weekend, most of them - not surprisingly in an Ashes year - being Australian all-rounders.
On Sunday, 10 league clubs figure in the first round of the National Knockout for the Cockspur Cup. Involved in three different regional groups will be Warrington, Didsbury, Hyde, Urmston, Timperley (v Widnes), Oxton, Neston, Alsager and Nantwich. Four more have byes into round two.
The 3rd XI Cup tournament for the Jack Gardner Trophy starts in mini league form over the first two weekends of the season starting with 10 group games on Sunday.
The new-look Fred Graham Trophy will be launched with four preliminary round games by early June. Players in all matches will be provided with free beer by Lees, with £850 set aside for prize money on Finals Day at Warrington on Sunday, August 14.
OPENING FIXTURES ON SATURDAY, APRIL 23rd:
ECB PREMIER LEAGUE, 12.30pm:
Alderley Edge v Hyde
Chester Boughton Hall v Nantwich
Oulton Park v Christleton
Oxton v Neston
Toft v Bowdon
Widnes v Poynton
FIRST DIVISION, 1 pm:
Birkenhead Park v Winnington Park
Bramhall v Upton
Cheadle v Cheadle Hulme
Didsbury v Urmston
Heaton Mersey v Alsager
Macclesfield v Warrington
SECOND DIVISION, 1pm:
Bollington v Timperley
Bredbury St. Mark's v Middlewich
Brooklands v Burnage
Congleton v Irby
Sale v Grappenhall
Tattenhall v Mobberley
2nd XI PREMIER DIVISION, 1pm:
Bowdon v Toft
Hyde v Alderley Edge
Nantwich v Chester Boughton Hall
Neston v Oxton
Timperley v Didsbury
Upton v Widnes
2nd XI FIRST DIVISION, 1pm:
Alsager v Heaton Mersey
Cheadle Hulme v Congleton
Poynton v Bramhall
Urmston v Oulton Park
Warrington v Brooklands
Winnington Park v Birkenhead Park
2nd XI SECOND DIVISION, 1pm:
Burnage v Macclesfield
Christleton v Bollington
Grappenhall v Sale
Irby v Cheadle
Middlewich v Bredbury St. Mark's
Mobberley v Tattenhall
3rd XI SATURDAY DIVISION, 1pm:
Birkenhead Park 3rd v Warrington 3rd
Brooklands v Oxton
Cheadle Hulme v Urmston
Chester Boughton Hall 4th v Upton 4th
Irby 3rd v Neston 3rd
Neston 4th v Irby 4th
Timperley v Macclesfield
Upton 3rd v Chester Boughton Hall 4th
Warrington 4th v Birkenhead Park 3rd
Sunday, April 24th
COCKSPUR CUP NATIONAL KO 1st ROUND, 1pm:
Group 5
Bowdon bye
Kearsley v Warrington
Prescot & Odyssey v Didsbury
Hyde v Netherfield
Urmston v Bradshaw
Alderley Edge bye
Group 6
Timperley v Widnes
Bramhall bye
Oxton v Wavertree
Neston v St Helens
Chester Boughton Hall bye
Group 7
Alsager v Barnt Green
Nantwich v Halesowen
3rd XI JACK GARDNER TROPHY
Mini group round one, 1pm:
Group l: Birkenhead Park v Didsbury
Group 2: Ashley v Cheadle Hulme
Group 3: Alderley Edge v Sale
Group 4: Tattenhall v Marple
Group 5: Ashton on Mersey v Heaton Mersey
Group 6: Neston v Nantwich
Group 7: Christleton v Bramhall
Group 8: Bredbury St. Mark's v Alsager
Group 9: Macclesfield v New Brighton
Group 10: Cheadle v Hale Barns
The mini group rounds continue on Sunday, May 1st and Bank Holiday Monday, May 2nd.
JW LEES TWENTY / 20 FRED GRAHAM TROPHY
Preliminary round to be completed by Friday, June 3rd:
Zone 1: Upton v Oxton
Zone 4: Toft v Macclesfield
Zone 7: Heaton Mersey v Burnage
Zone 8: Poynton v Hyde
OVERSEAS PLAYERS
Overseas players registered to play in the league up to Monday, April 18, are:
ALSAGER: Ashwin Punja (Indian batsman, returning for second season; scored 627 at 52.25 in 2004);
BIRKENHEAD PARK: Kashif Rasheed (Pakistan batsman, 24, played in Central Yorks League for Buttershaw St. Paul's in 2003-04);
BOLLINGTON: Anthony Thomas (Australian all-rounder, 21, plays A Grade at Geraldton, Western Australia. Uncle is former Australian Test player John Maguire);
BOWDON: Michael Johnstone (Australian wicket-keeper/batsman, plays in Mornington Peninsular Grade A, Melbourne; Level 2 coach).
BRAMHALL: Peter Zybrands (Australian all-rounder, 20, plays in Sydney Grade 2 for Fairfield/Liverpool);
BREDBURY ST. MARK's: Matthew Cations (Australian bowller, returning for second season; in 2004 took 52 wickets at 20.20);
CHEADLE: Peter Manser (Australian bowler, returning for second season; in 2004 created Division 2 record with 70 wickets at 12.99);
CHEADLE HULME: Chris McCabe (Aiustralian fast bowler, returning for second spell in three seasons; plays in Brisbane A Grade for Sunshine Scorchers; in 2003 took 36 wickets at 22.70);
CHRISTLETON: Daron Cruikshank (Trinidad all-rounder, 19, plays for Queens Park 3rd XI in Port of Spain grade cricket);
DIDSBURY: Brendan McDonald (Australian leg-spinner, 22, plays Sydney Grade 1 for North Sydney; played for Formby in 2004 and was chosen for League Cricket Conference; level 1 coach);
HEATON MERSEY: Walleed Enos (South African batsman, 20, plays for Montrose in Western Province Division 1);
HYDE: Leigh Heazlewood (Australian bowler, returning for second season; in 2004 scored 104 runs at 26 and took 44 wickets at 22.09);
MACCLESFIELD: Stuart Bohaska (Australian bartsman, 22, plays in Melbourne Grade 1 for Footscray Edgewater);
NESTON: Andrew Crook (Australian all-rounder, 24, plays for South Australia A, ex-Australian Academy and Leicestershire 2nd; was Great Harwood professional in 2004; Lancashire Contracted player 2005-06);
OULTON PARK: Andrew Robinson (Australian barsman, plays Queensland Grade 1 for Gold Coast Dolphins; ex-Queensland A, previous visits to UK in 2003-04 to play for Rainsford and Ormskirk; Level 1 coach);
POYNTON: Derwin Thompson (Barbados all-rounder., returning for fourth season; in 2002-03-04 scored 2,673 runs and took 75 wickets);
SALE: Jean-Pierre Lee (South African left-arm fast boweer, 24, plays for Pretoria Old Boys in Pretoria Premier League; ex- Northerns B; level 2 coach);
TIMPERLEY: Ryan Edwards (New Zealand all-rounder, plays for Nelson in South Island Grade A; Level 1 coach);
UPTON: Joe Camarsh (Australian leg-spinner, plays in Sydney Grade 2 for St. George's);
URMSTON: Deepek Kumar (Trinidan all-0ounder, plays for Queens Park 1st XI in Trinidad & Tobago Carib National League Division 1; level 1 coach);
WIDNES: Cameron Park (Australian all-rounder, 33, plays in Mornington Peninsular Grade A, Melbourne);
WINNINGTON PARK: Aiden Baker (Australian batsman, plays Sydney Grade 2 for Manly);
Contracted player:
NESTON: Simon Marshall (Lancashire all-rounder).
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article